I have been looking at the costs involved with importing from china and even recieved a quote on some small mills. They look like work horses and the quoted price is right cept I don't completely understand how it would work. For example lets say the quote was $600 per mill 5 minimum FOBUSD$ <- what exactly does FOBUSD mean? I am assuming that it to the docks or "point of entry" but what other costs get added into the $600 price tag before it arrives at my door?

Has to go from point A (chine factory) to point B (my garage) but on the way I find out it also has to go through points C, D, E, F, G, H and I with each point charging upto $150 a pop? There has to be a better way because either the quoted price is very high *or* there are $ short cuts *or* the resellers here buy in extremely high quantities (which I dont believe) *or* ???.

C = Ocean Freight
D = Import BrokerFee
E = CustomsBond
F = Customs Duty
G = Freight Forwarder Document Fees
H = Freight Terminal transport and loading fee
I = Arrangement for Pickup and shipping to my garage

$600 a mill sounds great until it turns into $1000